Top 15 Ways To Fix Performance Issues On Windows 11

With its sleek design, centered Start menu, Snap layouts, and Copilot, Windows 11 is surely a productivity powerhouse to help you get things done. That said, like any operating system, it’s not immune to performance bottlenecks. Whether you are using a high-end laptop, a budget one, or a gaming PC, check out our comprehensive troubleshooting guide to fix performance issues and optimize your Windows 11 experience.

How to fix an unresponsive Windows Start menu

Unable to click on the Start menu? Or has it simply disappeared? Get your Windows install working again with these handy tips.

15 Restart Windows

Let’s start with the basics. Most Windows laptop users just put devices to sleep (vs. powering down) so that they are ready to use within seconds. However, you should reboot your device once in a while.

When you fully shut down and restart a computer, the system terminates all the apps and background processes and cleans up the memory. It’s a handy and proven trick to resolve performance niggles on your PC. You can simply press the Start menu, select the Power button, and click Restart (or Shut down).

14 Use Task Manager to end demanding tasks

A buggy app or service running in the background can be the main culprit when you are experiencing mysterious symptoms. You can identify this using the default Task Manager on Windows. Here’s what you need to do.

Right-click on the Windows key and open Task Manager.
It opens the Processes tab by default.
Find an app or service that’s consuming abnormally high CPU usage on your device.
Select it and click End task at the top.

You should notice performance improvements after a bit, if this was causing the trouble.

13 Free up space

If your Windows PC has low storage remaining, you may run into performance hiccups. Instead of manually deleting large files and unnecessary apps, use the Storage menu in Windows Settings to free up space in no time.

Press the Windows + I keys to open Settings.
Select System from the sidebar and open the Storage menu.
You can open the Installed Apps menu and delete irrelevant ones.
Also, open Temporary files and delete them from your PC. You can also use the cleanup recommendations.

Storage Sense is another useful tool to automatically free up space, delete temporary files, and manage cloud content. Select it and tweak Storage Sense settings based on your preferences. You can configure cleanup schedules and set the system to remove local content from cloud services like Google Drive, OneDrive, and iCloud.

12 Disable startup items

If you have too many irrelevant apps and services launching at system startup, it hampers your device’s performance. You can glance over and disable such startup agents from the Windows Settings menu.

Head to Windows Settings by pressing the Windows + I keys.
Select Apps from the sidebar and open Startup.
Check out the apps and services launching at startup and their overall impact on your system. Disable unnecessary ones, and you’ll be good to go.

11 Stick with native apps (for Arm laptops)

Although Microsoft has done a remarkable job with a built-in emulation to run x86 apps on an Arm laptop, the overall experience doesn’t come anywhere close to a native app. If you have one of the Windows on Arm laptops, go with apps that are designed to run on Arm architecture.

For example, instead of using PhotoScape X (which doesn’t run natively on Windows on Arm), use Adobe Lightroom to edit your photos and avoid performance glitches.

10 Run Windows Security

If you have a habit of downloading content and apps from unofficial sources, you may have infected your PC with bogus files, or worse. Your PC may take a performance hit due to such corrupt files. It’s time to use Windows Security to run a full scan on your device and remove these files permanently.

Press the Windows key, search for Windows Security and hit Enter.
Select Virus & threat protection from the sidebar. Open Scan options.
Select Full scan and click Scan.

Corrupt system files can cause performance issues on your device. You can use the DISM (Deployment Image Service and Management) tool and SFC (System File Checker) to analyze, scan, and patch such faulty files.

Open Command Prompt and run the following command, then hit Enter.
```
DISM /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
```
Next, run the command below.
```
sfc /scannow
```

You should notice performance improvements on your Windows device thereafter.

8 Upgrade to faster drive and RAM

A faster SSD delivers snappy loading times, boot times, efficiency, and a near-silent performance. You should upgrade the SSD on your PC or laptop (if possible) and notice a performance boost in no time. Similarly, if you face issues with multitasking, increase the RAM on your PC to keep more apps running quickly.

7 Use Game Mode

Windows comes with a dedicated mode to improve your gaming experience. It disables notifications, delivers better frame rates and optimizes the system for maximum performance. You can head to Settings> Gaming> Game Mode to enable it.

Disk Cleanup is another handy tool for deleting temporary system files. It frees up space and improves overall performance. Press the Windows key and search for disk cleanup. Select the drive you want to clean and hit OK.

Select the types of files you want to delete and click OK.

5 Disable search indexing

Although the default Search menu is quite capable, indexing can be a resource-hungry process. It’s quite noticeable on low-end devices when the search menu tries to find apps, files, and more. You can exclude specific search locations to speed up the process.

Press the Windows key and find Search indexing. Hit Enter.
Select Modify.
Click Show all locations.
Disable unnecessary locations under the Change selected locations menu. Click Ok.

4 Switch to a high-performance plan

Windows OS and third-party manufacturers like Asus and Lenovo offer different plans to balance performance and efficiency. If you are dealing with demanding tasks like RAW editing, video editing, or 3D work, switch to a performance plan temporarily.

Such a high-performance plan does take a hit on battery life, though

3 Update drivers

Outdated drivers on your Windows device can lead to performance issues. You should first head to the manufacturer’s website and download relevant drivers to your device. Now, use the Device Manager menu to install them.

Press the Windows key and R key together to open Device Manager.
Right-click on a relevant option for which you want to update drivers. Click Update driver.
Select Search automatically for drivers and the system should find and install the latest drivers on your device.

2 Update apps

Microsoft and third-party developers frequently release app updates to add new features and fix bugs. You should head to the Microsoft Store and select Library from the bottom left corner. Click Get updates and hit Update all to install pending app updates.

1 Update Windows

Microsoft has steadily improved Windows 11 with regular updates. The system sluggishness can be due an outdated software build on your device. You should head to Windows Settings> Windows Update and install the newest software build on your machine.

Enjoy a snappy Windows experience

Whether you are a power user or a casual surfer, running a sluggish Windows PC with unresponsive apps is never a good idea. It wastes your productivity hours and hampers your workflow. Before you start looking for a new laptop, go through the tips above to squeeze every drop of performance out of your Windows 11 machine.

If you face issues with a specific app that’s crucial for your workflow, check our separate guide to repair and reset it in minutes.